▲ This Oct. 24, 2023, file photo from Yonhap News TV shows a wooden boat being towed by a South Korean military vessel in the East Sea. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

N Koreans-repatriation

S. Korea reaffirms intent to promptly repatriate 6 N. Koreans rescued at sea

SEOUL, July 7 (Yonhap) -- The unification ministry on Monday reaffirmed its intent to safely and promptly repatriate six North Koreans rescued from the southern side of the inter-Korean maritime border.

"As the six North Korean nationals, rescued from the East and Yellow Sea, actively wish to return to the North, the government's stance is that it will promptly and safely send them back from a humanitarian perspective," ministry spokesperson Koo Byoung-sam said at a briefing, without providing further details.

The remarks came in response to a local newspaper's report that the South Korean government is planning to repatriate the six North Koreans currently staying in the South as early as this week.

In May, South Korea rescued four North Koreans who were adrift on the South Korean side of the East Sea, following a similar case in March where two North Koreans were rescued in the Yellow Sea.

The report said the South Korean government has notified the North via the U.S.-led U.N. Command of a repatriation schedule and other details, and plans to carry out the repatriation regardless of whether Pyongyang responds.

In May 2017, while communication lines between the two Koreas were suspended, South Korea unilaterally repatriated six fisherman rescued on the South Korean side of the sea, after repairing their boat and boarding them on it.

(END)

[ⓒ K-VIBE. 무단전재-재배포 금지]